


And Friendship Follows

by Leni



Series: Relativity Issues [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, First Meetings, Second Chances
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-01-25
Packaged: 2018-09-19 21:22:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9460886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: After a rather disastrous first meeting, Belle decides to brave into Mr. Gold's pawnshop again.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bookwormchocaholic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwormchocaholic/gifts).



Belle’s original idea had been to find out into which apartment complex Mr. Gold had moved and leave her tray of fresh chocolate cookies in his mailbox with a note of apology for her behavior the day before and an attached check with an estimate of the damage she’d caused by tripping over her own feet while surrounded with expensive curios. 

It wasn't the first such apology she'd had to make in her life, but this time she wasn't sure the owner of the broken bauble wouldn't just smile and let it go with another warning to watch where she was stepping - and perhaps wear more sensible shoes?

Storybrooke was used to her bouts of clumsiness, but Mr. Gold hadn't seemed to join in the amused tolerance the town had always granted her.

Hence her instinct to leave her cookies during his work hours, when he would be far away from his home.

That plan had gone out the window when her inquiries at Granny’s had revealed that Mr. Gold had not rented one of the many apartments in town. The man was rich enough to open a new business on Main Street _and_ lease the big Victorian house at the edge of town.

Driving there seemed so very daunting. Just the thought of going up the steps to the porch, and leaving her I’m-so-sorry cookies on his doorstep, made her shiver. Belle tried to tell herself it was because an apartment building would have given her some anonymity. There would have been dozens of people coming in and out; it was possible that no one would remark on the fact that Belle French was being odd again.

Was there something odder than willingly taking fresh baked goods to the newcomer who had chewed her out the day before?

But the opinion of the town was not really what changed Belle's mind. The even more embarrassing truth was that Belle had spent too many hours of her childhood (and perhaps up to last week), spinning stories about the ghosts and monsters hiding inside that old Victorian mansion.

Much as she berated herself for the lack of logic, she could not feel comfortable being alone in the shadow of the great, once mysterious, house.

Admitting that her imagination had won the battle would be the oddest confession. The alternative was to visit Mr. Gold’s pawnshop and deliver cookies and check at his work place. That would also mean that the cookies would still be warm when he got them.

That was only reasonable. Not _too_ weird at all.

Wasn’t it?

The question was moot as soon as Belle stepped in and the sound of the bell over the front door announced her entrance.

Of course the man couldn’t be in the back room as he had been the day before, so she could hurry to the counter, leave her offering there and rush away. Instead he was standing right next to the antique cashier machine, raising his head to greet the new client, and letting his mouth hang open mid-word.

Belle tried a smile. “Hi?”

He snapped his mouth shut. His posture straightened as he eyed her carefully. “You,” he said dryly, then sighed. “Again.”

The check was in her pocket, as it had seemed silly to stick it among the cookies. But the tray in her hands she could raise to eyesight level, hoping his features would lighten at the sight and sweet smell. Who didn’t like chocolate cookies?

Mr. Gold must be a raisins man. He didn’t as much as blink.

“These are to say I’m sorry?” she said anyway, then took a deep breath and forged forward. “I know they won’t cover the cost of the broken cup—”

“Chipped.”

Belle raised an eyebrow. She definitely remembered his glare when she had tried to downplay the damage her clumsiness had caused. “It is chipped now?”

“Just a little one.” He tapped his fingers against the counter. Avoided her gaze. “You could hardly see it.”

A smile tugged at her lips. Belle decided to let it free, and was glad for her choice when Mr. Gold’s shoulders relaxed. “Is repeating my words your way to apologize back?”

He pursed his lips together. Gave a tiny crinkle of his nose. “I had a right to my anger. You lied to me.”

Belle opened her mouth to protest, but said nothing. Ruby had been the one to claim the cup had just rolled off the shelf, gravity the only culprit for the mess. In hindsight, what had made matters worse was that Ruby had looked at the owner of the pawnshop with that wide smile that usually had a male nodding along to whatever she said.

Mr. Gold had started off with a sneer and worked himself up into quite the rant.

She and Ruby has hurried out. In the confusion of the moment, it had skipped Belle’s mind to offer to buy the tea cup she had broken. However, now it seemed that Mr. Gold’s anger had passed. She considered offering to buy the cup anyway, but it seemed foolish now that he’d gone to the trouble to reassure her that it wasn’t irreparably damaged.

That was... sweet.

Belle’s plans for the evening had not included making a new friend, but everyone in Storybrooke could attest for the fact that she never missed a chance to befriend any stranger that crossed her path. It didn’t matter how many of those friendships had ended in betrayal and hurt feelings. Even the failures were worth the good moments she would always have with those she hadn’t erred to trust.

Being friendly was not about hanging out with people with similar lives and opinions, but about finding someone interesting, discovering what you had in common with them, and hoping friendship would follow.

It took a bit of bravery, to jump in with such scarce invitation as Mr. Gold’s seeming turnabout.

Luckily Belle prided herself of being more than a bit brave.

“You didn’t have to yell, you know,” she told him now.

Another tap of his finger, slower this time. His eyes drifted away from her, and he sighed again. “Not at you, no. Your friend, on the other hand-”

“So you _do_ apologize?” she asked quickly before she had to rise in defense of Ruby. Ruby wouldn’t thank her for the help, anyway; her friend was a big believer in fighting her own battles. Instead Belle smiled at Mr. Gold despite the long silence that followed her question, and when his expression showed a hint of softness, she let her feet take her forward the couple of steps until the tips of her high heels touched the counter. Then she leaned in a little. “Admit it. You’re sorry you yelled at me.”

He stared at her stubbornly, but Belle only stared back. After a few seconds he acquiesced. “I am not proud that my temper included you.”

Belle grinned. “Especially now that I’ve brought cookies?”

In response the corners of his lips quirked up. “It's made the choice easier,” he answered.

Belle laughed.

She hadn’t come to make a friend, but she rather thought she might have found a potential one.

And she was glad. 

 

The End  
25/01/17

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love! 
> 
> Please don't close this page without leaving a comment. :)


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